


not simple to say

by cwalsh



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Hinata Shouyou is Sunshine, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining Hinata Shouyou, Pro Volleyball Player Hinata Shouyou, Pro Volleyball Player Miya Atsumu, Protective Miya Atsumu, he's still a lil shit but he's cute when he's protective Leave Me Alone, it's requited i promise, no beta we die like men, the pining hinata we all deserve
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:40:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26177368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cwalsh/pseuds/cwalsh
Summary: After what has been the most important game of his life yet, Shouyo should feel satisfied, but he still feels like he’s in the air, like he’s in the middle of a jump. No, flying doesn’t feel like this.Maybe it’s the adrenaline. Maybe it’s the boy stuffing stolen rice balls into his disgusting sports bag.Oh. Flying doesn’t feel like thisat all.-Or, Hinata realizing his teammate is attractive.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Miya Atsumu
Comments: 16
Kudos: 124





	not simple to say

Shouyo had raced to get some light food in before meeting up with his friends when Atsumu suddenly grabbed his arm and dragged him to the food stands. 

The both of them were hyped up from the game they just won against the Schweiden Adlers, and Shouyo was more than ready to pay for at _least_ three of the rice balls when Atsumu started to stuff as much as he could into his duffel bag the moment they got there. 

Shouyo should be scared. Maybe he is paralyzed by the blatant larceny. From the confused mumbling from the strangers behind them, Shouyo thinks he should be doing something, right now. He has one hand on Atsumu’s bag and remembers _right, I should try and stop him_ — 

—then Atsumu looks back at him.

_ Atsumu-san is attractive.  _

Shouyo feels a little dizzy, with realization.

This is, maybe, one of the worst things to realize while said boy is trying to stuff as much onigiri in his bag. Shouyo could hear Osamu-san’s Customer Voice from a few feet away, and Shouyo is appalled, mostly - how much can you fit in there? - but Shouyo?

Shouyo feels like he’s in the air. 

Atsumu has a bag full of onigiri and he’s smiling at Shouyo like an idiot and he’s cute despite the obnoxious grin and the threat of Miya Osamu’s rage. For some reason he’s still handsome even while stealing from his brother, his jersey tight against his skin, his hair still slightly damp, and his eyes so, so bright with mischief. 

Shouyo thinks, _He is so cute._

And then, _I’d follow this man anywhere._

Oh. 

Shouyo is so fucked.

It has been less than an hour since Shouyo’s debut game as a member of the Jackals, almost half an hour after shaking hands with his middle school rival. After what has been the most momentous game of his life, Shouyo should feel satisfied, but he still feels like he’s in the air, like he’s in the middle of a jump. 

He mistakes Shouyo’s wide eyed gaze as apprehension and he tells Shouyo to stop worrying _, he owes me anyway,_ with an impish grin on his lips. _Osamu-san is going to kill you,_ Shouyo tries to say, but catches a glimpse of Atsumu biting his lip and nothing comes out of his traitorous mouth. 

Maybe it’s the adrenaline. Maybe it’s the boy stuffing rice balls into his disgusting sports bag. Flying doesn’t feel like this. 

Oh. Flying doesn’t feel like this at _all._

* * *

  


  


** bokuto-san ** ( ๑ ˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و 

HINATAAAA 

DAY OFF TODAY

ARE YOU UP FOR SOME 

~~~~~ACTION~~~~~

BY ACTION I MEAN 

FREE PRACTICE 

THIS IS ME ASKING YOU TO PRACTICE WITH ME 

sure bokuto-san!!!!!!!! 

you don’t have to ask!!!!! ヾ ( ≧∇≦ *) ゝ

I need to work on my serves ( ｡ ŏ ﹏ ŏ)

YOUR SERVES ARE GREAT 

still:(

??????Why are you sad

WHAT’S WRONG

Nothing!!!!!! 

i can’t help but compare my serve rates you know

also i was watching atsumu-san serve yesterday!!!!!!!!

so i was thinking that 

YOU WERE WATCHING ATSUMU'S FREE PRACTICE????

yes i was!!!

bokuto-san?????

shouyo-kun

what??????

YOU WERE “WATCHING ATSUMU”

………………….

BOKUTO-SAN IT'S NOT LIKE THAT

YOU WERE TOTALLY CHECKING HIM OUT

~~( ￣ ω ￣ )~~ 

  


BOKUTO-SAN NO

* * *

  


  


It’s a few weeks after when Shouyo begs off Bokuto’s needling as Atsumu approaches the bench he’s sitting on. His mentor cackles loudly and moves past the blonde anyway, who gets a hard pat on the back and a ‘ _take care of him, he’s fragile ‘Tsumu-kun!’_ that seemed to echo throughout the gym. They both wince; Atsumu, from the impact and Shouyo, from the implication. 

Shouyo had landed on the wrong foot the other day after a particularly high jump and was cut off from practice for a few days, but nothing could stop Shouyo from watching his teammates and their coach knew that. Shouyo huffs and stretches his legs across the bench.

“You doin’ okay, Shouyo-kun?” 

Shouyo peers up at Atsumu and gestures vaguely at the bandage on his right ankle. His foot feels weird after being wrapped up for two whole days, but he tries to ignore the discomfort. “Coach says it’ll heal up in a few more days, as long as I don’t walk on it too much.” 

“You’ll be fine, little bird. We’ll have you flying in no time.” His teammate sits down on the floor, his back to Shouyo’s legs which were stretched out on the courtside bench, where their manager usually sat. Atsumu is all sweaty from the game — he looks like he could go for a few more sets — but he sits down with Shouyo anyway. 

Atsumu looks up at him from his spot on the floor. 

_ I need to get better,  _ Shouyo thinks. _I want to be able to play more, with you._ He tries for a smile, but Shouyo feels it go crooked.

  


  


(Shouyo can’t lie for shit, especially from one Miya Atsumu. 

Atsumu is not a people person, but he _knows_ them. He would never talk about it, no, but you could tell if you look closely enough: a quick set, for when Bokuto needs a little push. Ordering Osamu’s favorite food of the week during an off day. Inviting the team out for drinks on a bad game, sometimes. 

Even their captain looks to Atsumu when the team botches a set, looking for a kind of reassurance only Atsumu can give them, in his Atsumu Way of dealing with sad things. 

Shouyo notices, because of course he does. 

The encouraging smile when Shouyo was trying out for the Jackals, when he hits Atsumu’s toss for the first time and again and again. 

Endless hours of practicing their quick set during Shouyo’s first few weeks into the team, when Shouyo relearns how to play on a hard, unforgiving floor rather than on sand. 

Defeated nights and cold mornings, easily fixed by meat buns and a visit to Onigiri Miya _from your kind and wonderful senpai,_ Atsumu would say. How could he not notice how his own smiles come easy every time Atsumu walks in, ego and all, to practice?

This, here. 

A confident smile, a hand on his good leg. Looking up at him like nothing’s wrong, like it’s just another day at practice. Like Shouyo was okay and didn’t make a mistake that almost cost him his career. 

A knot in Shouyo’s chest loosens. Shouyo can’t lie to him, but he trusts Atsumu.)

  


  


They don’t speak for a while, both observing the court from their little corner. The coach and managers are talking loudly about the restaurant next door. Shouyo hears Sakusa’s grumbling followed by Bokuto’s laughter. The captain’s scolding follows right after, just as expected. 

Shouyo hears Atsumu let out a quiet laugh when they turn to watch the normally stoic captain tell Bokuto to _pack up already, no more spiking practice!_ and makes the mistake of looking back at him, watches a blonde lock of hair fall over Atsumu’s eyes. 

Though separated by a layer of clothing, Atsumu’s hand feels like a brand on his skin.

He had fun, Shouyo could tell. Atsumu has the wild look in his eye, the one he gets every time they win a match but calmed down. Like he did something he was proud of, and he’s ready to show it off. Smug, playful. 

  


  


(It’s not the same one he wears when Hinata hits his quick sets. Shouyo tries not to feel smug about it.)

  


Their teammates were packing up, but Atsumu makes no move to help, _lounging_ against the bench like he’s the injured one. Shouyo nudges him with his good foot. “Shugo-san is going to heckle you if he found you slacking again.” 

“Shugo-san loves me and you know it.” 

Shouyo snorts. “I wonder why.” 

Atsumu scoffs as he turns to Shouyo. “I am an adorable kouhai and he loves me,” Atsumu says as he sits back and stretches his legs in front of him. The bastard even leans his head back on his leg and _closes his eyes._ Shouyo only smiles and adjusts, not minding the contact. Atsumu says, “I promise him food and drinks if I mess up a few of my sets — which I rarely do, by the way—” 

“— and you’ve got your charming personality.” Shouyo interrupts him, laughing all the while. 

“And I’ve got my charming personality.” Atsumu finishes, his expression smug. He swats at Shouyo when Shouyo starts playing with his hair, laughing the entire time. It’s comfortable. It’s easy.

Everything is easier, with Atsumu. 

Nothing can fool him, and Shouyo doesn’t try to hide from him, even if he’s hurting. He tells Atsumu about how uncomfortable the brace is, and how he is not looking forward to the trip home, even if he insisted on attending practice despite not being allowed to play. 

When they leave the gym, he wraps an arm around Shouyo’s waist every time he loses his balance. Shouyo insists he’s allowed to walk on it, encouraged even, but Atsumu only sticks his tongue out and forces Shouyo to put an arm around his shoulder, walking even slower. He tells Shouyo about the box of fan mail he has on his couch with a smirk on his lips, about when he tried to talk in broken English with Adriah during spiking practice.

Atsumu complains when Shouyo playfully pushes him away after a particularly bad joke. When Atsumu pulls him back it’s to keep Shouyo at his side, and his hand settles back on Shouyo’s hip. Shouyo’s laughing too hard to notice, and it’s easy. 

It’s so, so easy.

  


* * *

  


It’s not so easy when Atsumu is drunk, though. 

  


Miya Atsumu is not a rowdy drunk, thankfully, but he _is_ a talkative drunk. Shouyo's a little relieved by this, but it doesn’t last long.

. 

“Why don’t you talk to your fans more, Shouyo-kun!” Atsumu says after one too many beers after practice. The two were walking to Atsumu’s place a little over a block away after dropping Sakusa off nearby, and a conversation about the Black Jackals fan event in two weeks turned into whatever passes through Atsumu's mind, walking through a quiet neighborhood where the only thing stopping them from tripping over their own feet are the streetlamps overhead and the faint glow of the moon. 

“You could charm them with a little fancy dinner, and they’d fall for you even more,” Atsumu says, brows wiggling. They’re being too loud, and Atsumu's voice alone might wake someone up from his antics, but Shouyo doesn’t care in the slightest, not when Atsumu starts to walk backwards facing Shouyo, his grin in place and eyes gleaming, brighter than usual even in the darkness. Shouyo only laughs.

He may have had a few beers, on the fine line between sober and giggly, but he  _is_ self-aware.  _Falling for_ me?  _Barely 5”8 and teammates with aces like Bokuto-san and Omi-san, not to mention Miya frickin’ Atsumu?_

So when Shouyo says “I know you can flirt with fans easily, but I can’t do it like you, Atsumu-san,” he has his hands in his jacket pockets and eyes glued to the sidewalk, the remnants of his pathetic attempt at laughing still on his lips.

  


  


(In Brazil, and even back home, no one looked at Shouyo if he wasn’t playing volleyball. 

Shouyo has always been aware of the fact; he was never in it for the attention, and especially not for fans, but he had nothing else if he didn’t have volleyball. He realized this as he was months into his stint in Rio, on the third time he got lost while working as a delivery boy, and it stuck with him – if he wasn’t good, he was nothing if Shouyo isn’t flying.

To a stranger, they might look like college students on their way back home, walking together in their casual clothes, if their duffel bags don’t give them away first. He wonders if he and Atsumu would even be friends if they didn’t play volleyball after high school. If Shouyo didn’t make the team. If he had joined somewhere else. If he had given up. Shouyo prefers this anonymity. It’s oddly comforting.)

  


  


He knows Atsumu doesn’t mean anything by it, but feels his throat click closed anyway. 

When Atsumu says “Shouyo-kun, what do you mean?”, he doesn’t even register Atsumu stopping them, hands on Shouyo’s shoulders.

Shouyo lets out another sharp laugh, looking everywhere but at his teammate. "Even if I could afford fancy dinners, I wouldn’t have won them over, Atsumu-san,” he says. Uncertain. Self-deprecating. 

Shouyo regrets it immediately when Atsumu frowns and feels horrible for saying anything. Watches Atsumu’s hands fall back to his side. Wonders what Atsumu's thinking. 

Hopes he doesn't hear how fast his heart is beating.

“You’re warm, Shouyo.” 

Brown eyes meet his when Shouyo looks up at him, startled. 

His teammate only shrugs before looking to his right, avoiding Shouyo’s gaze. “You’re warm. You inspire people to work hard, and you take care of the people around you. I – the team _loves_ havin’ you around, and you single-handedly brought out Oliver-san’s talkative side the moment you joined the team.” Atsumu says, then places a hand at the back of his own neck. Nervous, for some reason. _Why is_ he _nervous?_

“I mean, I can only understand half of what he’s saying, but he’s been with the Jackals longer than I have and that’s saying somethin’. I think he’s been tellin’ me about his old plays and the team he used to be on, he said his setter was a head taller than me and I tried not to take offense to that but you know how I am about setters who are better than me. And the captain, too! He’s a lot nicer with you around, he cracks more jokes now, almost as much as when Koutarou was scouted and that was a _lot_ of spiking jokes, it was almost impressive–“

“Atsumu-san,” Shouyo whispers, when Atsumu starts to ramble. It's loud enough for Atsumu to hear now that they're standing so close to each other, but it's mostly for fear that his voice might break, the lump in his throat giving him away.

Atsumu takes a deep breath. “But that’s it. You’re enough. Give yourself some credit, Shouyo-kun. People are lucky to be around you. Hell, _I’m_ lucky to be around you, even if you did beat me in high school.” He smiles at Shouyo, and it’s different smile, this time. 

It's just a curl on his lips, but his eyes wide and searching. Hesitant, but real. Warm. 

Shouyo notices, because of course he does. 

“You’re warm, and it’s enough.”

**Author's Note:**

> i woke up one day and needed a pining hinata and thus this was born. i wrote this mostly on my phone but i hope you guys like it! 
> 
> atsumu pov on the next chapter! for now, please enjoy this pining hinata, for your indulgence <3


End file.
